Harney Malheur Community Action Agency director wants retirement plan benefit

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

Two agreements involving Harney County and other Eastern Oregon counties were topics of discussion during the Oct. 22 Harney County Court meeting.

The first discussion was on the temporary employment agreement between Barbara Higinbotham and the Harney Malheur Community Action Agency (HMCAA). Harney and Malheur commissioners met via phone conference to discuss the yet to be completed agreement. Higinbotham is the acting executive director of the HMCAA and has been working without a contract since Aug. 18. The term of the agreement would be through May 15, 2009.

Stephanie Williams, attorney for Malheur County, said that she had been drafting a contract with Higinbotham since August, but there was a problem reaching an agreement about the retirement plan. Higinbotham is earning $5,000 per month, and wanted HMCAA to contribute 5 percent to a retirement plan. Questions were raised that if HMCAA offered this to Higinbotham, would the other employees be offered the same deal.

Harney County Commissioner Dan Nichols stated that since this contract was for part-time, temporary employment, he felt it was a “pretty” contract without the retirement. The HMCAA will try to reach an agreement with Higinbotham soon.

The other agreement discussed at the Oct. 22 meeting was the intergovernmental agreement between Harney and Lake counties for mental health services.

Chris Siegner and Vern Brown of Harney Behavioral Health (HBH) were on conference call to explain the services offered to Lake County and what the benefits for both counties were through the agreement.

Siegner, HBH Director, said “The agreement is beneficial to both counties. We have greater regional influences over the programs we provide.”

The court’s concerns about the agreement were that it would jeopardize the standard of work performed at Harney HBH, as both Siegner and Brown would have to dedicate a percentage of their time to Lake County. Siegner and Brown said that it was not a problem, and they were currently working an average of 7.5 hours per week in Lake County. The court asked for legal council to review the agreement, and will discuss renewing after council has made recommendation.

•••

Harney County Librarian Cheryl Hancock presented an updated Internet use policy to the court. Hancock said that with the Child Internet Protection Act, filters must be in place on any public computers where e-rate funds are received, this includes the Harney County Library.

The new policy states that minors, age 17 and under, must have signed parental permission on their registration card to use the Internet. Patrons that are 17 or older can request to have the filters turned off, for legitimate reasons. Chat rooms and instant messaging is blocked from use.

Other policies include a time limit of one hour per day on a first-come, first-served basis; a limit of one person at a workstation, except when one person is assisting another; e-mail accounts are not provided by the library; and the library has a right to classify any action, access or operation on the Internet as inappropriate.

Hancock also made the recommendation for Janet Wheeler to be appointed to the library advisory board. The court voted unanimously on the appointment.

•••

Due to a clerical error, the Harney County Tax Office, requested that $3,109.75 be refunded to the Holy Family Catholic Church. Ted Tiller of the tax office told the court that according to tax law, religions are exempt, but rectories and parsonages are not. However, a recent court ruling came down that said if someone has to be on site, as the Catholic Priest is required, then the rectory is not taxable. The court agreed a refund to the Holy Family Catholic Church for tax years 2003-07.

•••

Karen Moon, coordinator for the Harney County Watershed Council, asked the court to appoint John Sword to the watershed council. Sword would fill the position of landowner in the Drewsey area. With this appointment, Moon said there were still two openings on the council — a landowner in the Guano area and a concerned citizen position in Hines.

Moon also told the court that in December two other council position terms will end. The positions are currently held by Tim Smith and Mitch Willis.